What are employee assistance programs?

Employee assistance programs (EAP) are a mechanism of support for employees with work-related problems (or personal problems) that may impact on their overall job performance, health and mental wellbeing, and ability to be an effective employee in the workplace.

An EAP provider generally offers employer funded confidential counselling for employees and their family members as well as consultative support for managers and supervisors to address employee and organisational challenges and needs – all in the name of making the workplace more efficient and harmonious.

How does it work?

While some EAP providers deliver the services themselves, many EAP providers will use other practitioners as “subcontractors”. EAP providers will then “refer” the client to Registered Counsellors. EAP Providers will negotiate their rates for services with organisations directly; making their own business profitable while still paying reasonable “subcontractor” fees to Registered Counsellors.

For Registered Counsellors, EAPs represent an opportunity to add a new revenue stream to their private practice as a subcontractor, applying their professional counselling skills on behalf of the EAP provider.

Naturally, there is a business agreement that a Registered Counsellor must comply with before clients are “referred” to the “subcontractor.” Those terms usually cover confidentiality, privacy, client case notes, mandatory reporting, clinical supervision, the scope of practice for practitioners, referral pathways, billing and other key business items. In return, Registered Counsellors will be referred clients and compensated for their time.

All practitioners “on the books” with EAPs must sign an agreement with each EAP provider which includes the terms of business. Terms of business will include how client referrals are handled, fees, client case notes, mandatory reporting, client handling and other important aspects of practice.

Registered Counsellors must register their interest with each different EAP service. The EAP/Provider relationship is “at will”.

EAP Providers will still need to meet their professional registration obligations. Registered Counsellors need to make sure that they meet the terms of business as laid out by the EAP Provider so that they can become a “subcontractor” and begin receiving referrals.

What is an average fee range?

Fees will range between $80/hour and $110/hour, depending on the practitioners’ expertise, location of practice, EAP service and other factors.

What are the advantages of being an EAP subcontractor?

EAP subcontracting can be an advantageous situation for Registered Counsellors in private practice, because it does not require additional marketing to acquire new clients, and clients can access the counselling they may need.

What EAP Providers can I work with?

15 EAP Providers have confirmed that ACA Members are eligible to provide services to employees across the country. To learn more about EAP Providers that can subcontract to you:

1. Log into your membership portal.
2. Click on the ‘Publications & Resources’ tab.
3. Visit ‘Download Documents’ (or click here).
4. Scroll down to ‘Employee Assistance Programs’ and hit download.

How I do register to work with an EAP Provider?

To register your interest for EAP, members must contact each provider directly and individually. Members, you can find EAP providers by typing their name in Google.